Moyes vows to battle on

Everton boss David Moyes has no intention of walking out on the club following a wretched start to the season.

Everton’s exit from the UEFA Cup at the first hurdle on Thursday night came just eight days after being dumped out of the Carling Cup by Blackburn, and on the back of three successive defeats at Goodison Park, but the feisty Scot is eager to turn the tide.

David Moyes

A defiant Moyes said: “Who says when you come into football management that every year you’re going to have a good year? There’s no manager in football who thinks they have an easy ride, that’s for sure. That’s part of it. But I want to stay.”

He added: “We have had tough tests – all managers face difficult times, and I have had some. No one has a divine right to win football games . You have to earn the right to do so.

“Managers can get into situations where it can be hard, and I have had it before. That’s your job.”

Moyes has recently been linked with Newcastle and Tottenham, two clubs who are currently enduring a rougher ride than that of the Toffees.

The fact he has yet to sign a lucrative new contract has further stirred the gossipmongers, but as to if and when he signs his contract, his response was a little cryptic, adding: “There might be as timescale, something might happen.”

And then, when asked to assure supporters he would stay at Everton, Moyes replied: “The supporters have known that for a long time.”

There was little to cheer at the Stade Maurice Dufrasne as Belgian champions Standard Liege played a patient game early on – in the 4-3 aggregate win – before catching Everton on the break.

Axel Witsel gave Liege a 22nd-minute lead before Phil Jagielka took advantage of goalkeeper Aragon Espinoza’s blunder in the 67th minute to give Everton hope. But 11 minutes later Leighton Baines bundled over Milan Jovanovic in the area, and the Serbian delivered the final blow from the spot.